Julian Russell returned to the islands in 2007 to join the Hawai`i Rainbow baseball staff as a volunteer assistant.
The former Rainbow shortstop will work primarily with the outfielders, also serving as the first-base coach.
Russell played two seasons at Hawai`i from 2002-03. He was the starting shortstop for much of the 2002 season with the Rainbows, carrying a .286 batting average with 14 runs and eight doubles. He finished the season as one of the team's hottest hitters, batting .412 with four runs in the last two series of the season.
Prior to him joining the Rainbows in 2002, Russell spent three years at Feather River College in Quincy, Calif. He got his associates degree there, graduating with high honors, Phi Theta Kappa. He was a second team all-conference performer at Feather River, helping the team to league and regional titles.
Russell was a 1998 graduate from Quincy High School in Quincy, Calif. He lettered in baseball, basketball and football, and led his team to league titles in 1997 and '98.
Russell got his bachelors degree in English from the University of Hawai`i in December 2003, then went on to get his masters degree at the University of San Francisco in Sports Management.
The 28-year-old is engaged to Paula Davis.
